Armored Gunboats, 1859-1897: Photo Gallery
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1859-1882: Tortue class (1863)
In fleet lists as Bâtiment spécial à hélice, 1863-1866. This category was also used for Taureau in her first year, 1864.
Tortue
Tortue (French special screw ship). Le Monde Illustré reported in its edition of 6 April 1861 that this singular craft was then moored near the race courses of the Bois de Boulogne and that her trials would be carried out in a few days under the eyes of Emperor Napoleon III himself. (Drawing: Le Monde Illustré, 6 April 1861, page 224)
Tortue
Tortue (French special screw ship). This iron coated craft, a personal project of Emperor Napoleon III ordered under his household budget, was handed off to the Navy in early 1862 after trials showed that it was impossible to steer her. She had two funnels side by side. (Drawing: Journal pour tous, 15 June 1861, page 352 and repeated in La Semaine des Enfants, 2 November 1861, also page 352)
1882-1897: Achéron and Phlégéton classes (1883)
In fleet lists as Canonnières cuirassés de 1re/2e classe 1883, to Canonnières cuirassés (no classes) 1892.Achéron
Achéron (French 1st class armored gunboat) at Saigon. (Photo: Postcard)
Cocyte
Cocyte (French 1st class armored gunboat, Achéron class) at Dunkirk. (Photo: Postcard)
Phlégéton
Phlégéton (French 1st class armored gunboat). (Photo: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB8-2345)
Phlégéton
Phlégéton (French 1st class armored gunboat) between 1912 and 1916 as a floating base for the navigation police at Bizerte. Her authorized armament was 4 x 47mm QF. (Photo: Private digital collection)
Styx
Styx (French 1st class armored gunboat, Phlégéton class). (Photo: Feuille signalétique, Archives Marine BB4-2028)
Fusée class (1883)
Mitraille
Mitraille (French 2nd class armored gunboat) in the Charente in 1888. (Photo: Private digital collection and Wikimedia from SHD Rochefort MR-5-G-565)
Fusée
Fusée (French 2nd class armored gunboat). (Photo: Private digital collection, C. J. phot.)
Fusée
Fusée (French 2nd class armored gunboat) plan showing the mounting of her main gun. (Photo: Aide-Mémoire d'Artillerie Navale, 1890)
Flamme
Flamme (French 2nd class armored gunboat) at Dunkirk in 1896 with her gun trained to port. (Photo: Private digital collection from Image'Est)